The Pedestrian's Record

the pedestrian's record. 35 peculiarities of times past were favourable to the greater development of the human body than they are now. Wars between nations, and internal feuds between sections of each nation, were common, and these fights were in many instances hand to hand ; and for such mode of warfare strength and dexterity were the great requisites to success—it was ten to one on the most muscular. Such being the case, all attention was paid and every means devised in order to educate nations in muscular tonicity. Xeno- phon tells us how Xerxes trained his soldiers, the food they ate, and the exercises prescribed. It is evident, therefore, during the Grecian period training was considered essential to the welfare and success of the Grecian cohorts. The Latins were famous for the discipline of their army, and their great superiority in the field was produced by daily gymnastic and other exercises : the "Exercitus" was the Latin name for the Roman army, and can be translated in English "exercise," and in this sense it is mentioned by Varro. Gibbon, in his " Decline and Fall of the Roman - Empire, tells us that athletic exercises were the important and unremitted object of their discipline, l oung and old soldiers were trained both in the morning and in the evening. Covered sheds were erected for winter use, so that no tempestuous weather should interfere with the everyday practice, and it was the order of the day that weapons double the weight of those used in war should be introduced during gymnastic practice. The Roman exercises d 2